(Jennifer Scott/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

The atrium of UT Tyler’s Soules College of Business transformed into an arena of innovation during the Student Capstone Race Competition — Unlocking the CRK Experience on Nov. 22. Sponsored by Cool Runnings Kart Racing (CRK Racing) in partnership with ETX Launchpad, the event offered a platform for students to showcase cutting-edge technology with creativity.

“The main goal was to have students showcase a miniature proof of concept of CRK’s car-to-car communication while giving them firsthand exposure to entrepreneurship,” said Tarick T. Walton, founder of CRK Racing.

The competition also served to promote CRK Racing’s vision of transforming motorsport racing that brings the thrill of video game racing like MarioKart to real life using innovative concepts in technology.

“The software will then be embedded onto real-life carts, in partnership with the Carroll Shelby Automotive Program at North Texas Community College, and tested,” Walton said. “We will be one step closer to revolutionizing transportation sustainability through gamification.”

Walton is an MIT and Georgetown University alumnus and entrepreneur based in Tyler with a passion for motorsports, technology, and advancing student STEM education.

Two teams competed for cash prizes and the chance for future internships and job opportunities. The winning team included Ty Killingsworth, Andrew Rasgado, Bryan Barrios, Colton Bollom, Idara Imoh, Jacob Young, John Brust, and Sandhya Malla.

“The basic idea behind CRK Racing, as far as our Capstone project goes, is about creating a mini MarioKart/Battle Royale game,” Brust said.

They use a machine-learning algorithm known as OpenCV, which allows students to develop a system that identifies key components of the carts.

“In order to identify the parts, we use web socket connections to send information to those parts and overall create a game where they are able to shoot each other, spin out, stop, and ultimately have a quality system,” Brust said.

“We were given these cart kits and we were given a Raspberry Pi, which is essentially a miniature computer and we had to program functionality into these computers to make the carts fun and entertaining,” Killingsworth said.

The objective of the event was not only to lay the groundwork for the CRK project but also to give students valuable experience in developing real-world applications and preparing for careers in STEM fields.

“We have undergraduate students who are just about to graduate, on the verge of finishing their degree,” said Dr. Sagnik Dakshit, assistant professor in the computer science Department at the Soules College of Business. “In the last semester, they undertake a serious project where they are solving a real world problem by developing a mobile application or a website, any kind of computer science applications.”

According to Dakshit, the competition served as a bridge between theoretical learning and practical application.

“What we teach in class is good, it’s theoretical application but the soft skills that are required to survive in the real world, they don’t get that experience,” he said. “So that’s what we try to teach them.”

“It is a rapidly growing environment,” Killingsworth added. “You have to be able to learn and adapt quickly because technology grows faster than we do.”

CRK partnered with the computer science department at UT Tyler to conduct an accredited Capstone Project where young Steamers — Dreamers with STEM-based skills — can compete in a fun, educational & creative framework that ultimately creates a miniaturized version of CRK Racing.

“The CRK team will be applying insights that were learned through this project during the next milestone of developing code,” Walton said. “I am so grateful for the professors at UT Tyler’s Soules College of Business for giving us an opportunity to create a CRK UT Capstone.”

“When you come together with technology, the know-how, and experience, you can do great things,” Brust said. “Not just having fun but developing things for your community as well.”